


Hold On

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bonding, Broken Bones, Camilla doesn't play misery poker, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feelings, Head Injury, Healing, Heavy Angst, Invisible Kingdom | Revelation Route, Lap Pillow, Medical Care, Mention of Canonical Character Death, Mild Blood, Pre-Relationship, Promises, Serious Injuries, Stranded, Survival, Talk of dead parents, Twisted family situations, Wounded Wyvern
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 00:28:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8599864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: Her leg was probably broken, her mount had a badly injured wing, and they were lost. But right now, all Camilla cared about was his survival.





	

It had been a rough battle going in, but she hadn't expected things to take a turn for the worse this quickly. Valla's forests were thick, giving their already skilled invisible soldiers more of an advantage; it had taken only moments for an ambush. The army scattered and everything happened too fast: the arrow piercing Marzia's wing, her shriek, Takumi's grip on her tightening painfully as the ground and the trees rushed to meet them.

Camilla was grateful to be _conscious_ after such a fall, much less in one piece, but her relief died quickly when she turned to see the state her partner was in.

_Takumi...!_ He lay draped over Mariza's prone form, pale and unconscious; if not for the barely-perceptible rise of his chest she would have assumed the worst right off. His hair was a mess and a large bruise was forming on his temple, he must have hit his head on a branch as they fell. Camilla swore under her breath, digging in her pack, praying she'd remembered enough healing items. She'd never excelled at the staff like Elise, but she liked to think she was a decent enough nurse.

"Damn it!" Her supplies were low, only a few concoctions, a packet of herbs from Elise, some water and bandages. "Takumi, Takumi please wake up..." She shook him gently, but only succeeded in making Marzia shriek. "Oh, no, I forgot about your wing..." She sighed, stroking her mount. "I'm so sorry, girl."

They weren't safe here. Invisible soldiers could show up at any time to finish them off, she had to get them to safety. But when she tried to stand, she gasped as pain shot through her right leg. _Shit!_ She'd broken it in the fall, obviously. Not that it mattered, she was still in better shape than Marzia or Takumi.

_Takumi..._

He had to come first. She loved Marzia like a daughter, no question, but she was a tough girl, not to mention one of the undead. Takumi, though, he was still only a human. A fragile human with blood seeping through his torn clothes, cuts and bruises all over his face, his incredibly long ponytail a mess of tangles and dead twigs.

"Oh, Takumi..." She took a deep breath and carefully lifted him, making sure not to jar any of his wounds. The most she could do right now was clean and dress them, as well as checking for any broken bones. She pressed her fingers to his chest and felt him convulse;at least one of his ribs was broken, and now that she had a better look at him she could see one of his arms hanging limply at his side.

_Damn it, damn it, damn it!_

She took off his clothes, revealing a mess of scratches she cleaned right away. Letting dirt collect in there could lead to an even worse disaster. She forced herself into autopilot as she tended to him, then Marzia's wing, using as little water as possible. Thankfully, the bandages were large and held strong; she had Marzia's wing patched up and Takumi's broken arm in a makeshift sling in almost no time.

They were still alone, and Camilla hoped it would stay that way until someone found them. She didn't _want_ to sit and wait, she wanted to get them to the safest place possible so Takumi could feel safe when he woke up, but her leg throbbed and she knew trying to walk on it would be incredibly stupid. So she dug a blanket out of her pack and carefully bundled Takumi, holding him on her lap as best she could without jarring his ribs.

"Someone will find us soon," she whispered. "Just hang on, okay? And...try to wake up soon."

She didn't know how much time had passed before Takumi's eyes fluttered open and he began to groan.

"W-where am I...? Oww..."

"Don't try to get up," Camilla said gently, trying to keep from crying out with relief. The last thing they needed was to attract unwanted attention. "We were shot down." His eyes widened and he began to panic.

"W-what?! No...no, are you hurt? Is Marzia-"

"I think my leg is broken, and Marzia's wing is in bad shape," Camilla said. "We can't leave here until the others find us." _If_ the others found them. "But don't worry about me, please, I've survived worse. It's _you_ I'm worried about."

"What happened to me, anyway?" Takumi tried to shift in her arms and winced. "Oww..."

"Dont try to move. One of your ribs might be broken, and your arm definitely is," Camilla explained. "And you hit your head pretty badly...in fact, now that you're awake you should stay that way. Otherwise you could go into a coma." Or worse, she thought, biting back the fear welling up in her. _I should have been more careful, I shouldn't have let him get this hurt...I've walked all the way to the healers' tent with an open wound on my side and a split lip, but Takumi..._ She knew he wasn't a fragile thing, not the way he handled that yumi of his, but Hoshido's peaceful environment hadn't prepared him quite so well for such harsh combat. Even the battles he'd fought up until now hadn't been anything like this. "I'm sorry, Takumi."

"Don't apologize. Not your fault some jerk shot us down." Takumi tried to lean against her shoulder. "Ugh, I feel dizzy..."

"Stay awake," she commanded. "Whatever you do, don't go to sleep. I'm sure someone will come and find us very soon."

"I bet they didn't even notice we were missing. Especially me," Takumi mumbled. "Hinoka's probably all pissed off, she's yelled at me for running into danger..." Camilla's heart ached at such words; she remembered when Leo was younger, he'd suggest no one would ever notice if he disappeared, but he was too logical and careful to risk himself just to prove a point. Takumi was a reckless hot-head, craved attention and validation, often felt unloved for whatever reason.

It was a downside to getting to know someone at times, realizing that they were a _mess_ under their bravado and knowing she couldn't just magically fix it with love. Love hadn't lured Corrin back to Nohr, it hadn't stopped her family from falling apart except for herself, Elise, Leo, and Xander.

_But I want to take care of you, I want to protect you, make you feel safe..._

He was still pale, shivering and visibly biting back screams anytime he tried to shift. Camilla finally set him down, wetting a cloth and placing it on his head. He didn't have a fever, at least, and she'd fully stopped any bleeding from earlier.

"They'll be here soon. They've noticed we're missing, and your family is likely worried sick."

"I want to believe that," Takumi muttered. "Camilla...if I pass out and die, I'm glad it's with you..." Camilla shuddered, biting her lip.

"Don't talk like that," she scolded. "You'll live, it's just a few broken bones. Just keep still and don't fall asleep."

"It _hurts._ "

"I know." She carefully eased his head onto her lap, cradling him, stroking his face and his messy hair. "But I'm here with you. So please, just stay awake...for me." A selfish request, she knew it, but she'd never forgive herself if he slipped into a coma or died. "We'll talk about anything you want, just don't close your eyes."

"Mm..." His unbroken hand grasped for hers. "I'll try..."

They talked for what felt like hours, just to keep him awake. At first it was about silly things like food, chess, shogi, flowers, but at one point Camilla found herself dipping into the past and when Takumi questioned it she couldn't stop.

"It was a mess," she said simply. "Selfish mothers using their children to gain favor with my father. He grew angry, he started to resent everyone...there used to be more of us children, too. Xander, Elise, Leo, and I are the only ones left."

"I'm sorry," Takumi mumbled. "Gods, and I've been whining about how I feel so unloved...at least my childhood was nice and easy."

"No." She shook her head. "Don't pity me, Takumi, just because my life was hell doesn't mean you don't hurt, too. You told me about Lady Mikoto...to lose a mother who loved you so much..."

"She came into our lives when my birth mother was starting to get sick, Father told me. I hadn't been born yet, and having me...really took it out of her." He bit his lip. "Sometimes I felt like he blamed me, even though he treated me as well as Ryoma and Hinoka." He swallowed, and she could see tears forming in his eyes. "My birth mother died when Sakura was barely a year old, and Mother...she knew how much we were suffering. She took care of us...she took care of _me._ "

"You told me about how she sat up and held you when you had nightmares," Camilla said.

"She loved me as much as she loved her own child," Takumi said quietly. "And now...Gods, sometimes I still blame Corrin for it even though I know it wasn't her fault! She's my _sister,_ she was just as broken up about it as us...!"

"So your lives haven't been perfect either." Camilla stroked his cheek. "Even if Hoshido's court wasn't a golden den of wolves, you suffered loss. Someone you loved, taken from you...it's okay to feel hurt, Takumi, it really is."

"But..."

"Takumi." She smoothed his ponytail a little. "If you ever feel lonely or unloved, please, tell me. I'll hold you and tell you whatever you need to hear until you feel all right..." Just like she did for Corrin and Elise, and occasionally Leo when he would _admit_ to feeling lonely. But this felt different. Takumi, hurt and trying so hard to stay awake and alive for her, confiding in her, _needing_ her...

"I won't ever let you be hurt again."

He smiled weakly at her, looking exhausted as he tried to keep his eyes open.

"Stay with me..."

"I will."

 

Lady Sakura and Lord Ryoma's retainer found them just as Takumi was sure he couldn't stay awake any longer. Lady Sakura cried, Saizo called to his lord and before Camilla could blink she felt herself beind wrapped in a soft energy.

"Lilith," she heard Corrin's voice, "take us back to the castle, now! Camilla, your leg needs to be looked at right away!" The dark forests and nearly-dead trees faded, replaced by he familiar sights and scents of the astral castle that made their home base. Charlotte, with a strength Camilla so rarely saw her actually use, carried her to a room where Lady Sakura instantly got to work on her leg.

"I-it's just a bad sprain," Lady Sakura said. "A-and Azama and Elise are taking care of Takumi right now, h-he'll be fine..." Camilla sighed, falling back against the pillows.

"Thank you. When they're done, though..."

"T-they'll bring him back in here...he wants to stay with you tonight." Lady Sakura blushed. "I-I think he feels safe w-with you, Lady Camilla...t-thank you for taking such good care of him!" Camilla smiled, exhaustion beginning to set in. Now that she didn't have to focus on keeping Takumi awake, she realized how badly she needed a nap.

"I promise, I'll take better care of him in the future."

The last thing she was aware of before she drifted into sleep was Takumi being set down on the pallet beside her, and the last thing she felt was his fingers closing around hers. She held on tightly, and she wouldn't let go until he said so.


End file.
